1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fishing reel, and more particularly to a fishing reel comprising side cases, a handle supported by one of the side cases for rotating a spool extending between the side cases in a direction for taking up a fishing line, the spool being slidable axially of and rotatable about a spool shaft, a transmission line mounted within one of the side cases for operatively interconnecting the handle and a spool shaft, a transmission line mounted within one of the side cases for operatively interconnecting the handle and the spool shaft, a friction type drag mechanism mounted between a lateral outer face of the spool and a lateral side face of a mating element opposed to the lateral outer face of the spool to be rotatable in unison with the spool shaft, the drag mechanism being switchable between an operative position and an inoperative position through relative movement between the spool and the mating element, and an anti-reverse mechanism including an engageable element connected to the mating element through a connecting portion, and a stopper attached to a reel body and defining an engaged element engageable with the engageable element for preventing reverse rotation.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the conventional reel as described above, one example of which is shown in Japanese Publication No. 50-9718, the mating element (as shown numeral 20 in the same Publication) is opposed to a left side face of the spool forming part of the anti-reverse mechanism. The friction type drag mechanism is mounted between the mating element and the left side face of the spool, and the mating element includes a flange portion horizontally extending from a lateral face of the mating element adjacent the side case. The flange portion defines internal teeth acting as an engaging element in an inner peripheral face thereof. Pawl means engageable with the internal teeth and acting as a stopper is attached to the side case of the reel body. The pawl means and the internal teeth constitute the anti-reverse mechanism.
An enclosure continuously extends from the left side face of the spool for enclosing friction faces of the drag mechanism. The enclosure defines inner peripheral edges that are close to outer peripheral edges of the flange portion.
In the friction type drag mechanism, if dust or seawater enters the friction faces, the drag performance is remarkably deteriorated. In view of this, it is desirable to mount a sealing element between the inner peripheral surface of the enclosure and the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion.
However, the sealing element has a mounting portion larger than the internal teeth acting as the engageable element, which increases the diameter of the sealing portion. As a result, when a contacting force is constant, a sliding resistance becomes large.
During a casting operation, when the drag force is canceled and the spool is rotated relative to the mating element, a large sliding resistance to rotation of the spool is created by the sealing element. This prevents the spool from rotating smoothly and the fishing line from feeding quickly.